Oak Ridge Boys set Christmas album, tour details

The Oak Ridge Boys plan to celebrate the Christmas season during their Down Home Christmas Tour, starting in November. In conjunction with the tour, Down Home Christmas, produced by Dave Cobb, will be released by Lightning Rod Records/Thirty Tigers on Oct. 25.

Songs include standards such as "Amazing Grace" and "Silent Night" and new favorites such as "Don't Go Pullin' On Santa Claus Beard" written by Anderson East and "South Alabama Christmas," written by Jamey Johnson.

"'Down Home Christmas' began much like the other seven Christmas albums we have recorded. But things changed. Most of the songs I had collected were put on the shelf, and we started looking for songs that addressed specific subjects related to Christmas," says Duane Allen.

"Dave Cobb was the producer/coach/motivator for this project. He encouraged us to dig a little deeper into our souls, to capture the magic of each song. With very simple instrumentation, the four Oak Ridge Boys' voices are out front, and in your face, with the awesome, huge sound of RCA Studio A wrapped around, but not over-powering it."

"'Down Home Christmas' is a project that we are happy to share with the world and, rest assured, you will hear these songs on our upcoming 30th annual Christmas tour," says Joe Bonsall. "The instrumentation is sparse, yet incredibly put together, and the vocals are rich and vibrant. Many of the songs were freshly written by a stable of Nashville’s top songwriters."

Down Home Christmas marks the Oaks' 30th annual Christmas tour, eighth Christmas album, and third album collaboration with producer Dave Cobb.

Track Listing:

1. The Family Piano (Aaron Raitiere)
2. Angels (Aaron Raitiere)
3. Bring Daddy Home For Christmas (Channing Wilson, Aaron Raitiere)
4. Reindeer On The Roof (Jake Mitchell, Aaron Raitiere)
5. Silent Night (Franz Xaver Gruber, Joseph Mohr)
6. Hallelujah Emmanuel (Robert Jason, Paul Bradley Jr.)
7. Down Home Christmas (Mando Saenz, Aaron Raitiere)
8. South Alabama Christmas (Jamey Johnson)
9. Don’t Go Pullin' On Santa Claus' Beard (Anderson East, Aaron Raitiere)
10. Amazing Grace (John Newton)

Christmas Tour dates:

NOV 13 -The Mansion Theatre / Branson, Mo.
NOV 14 - The Mansion Theatre / Branson, Mo.
NOV 15 - Orpheum Theatre / Sioux Falls, Iowa
NOV 16 - Deadwood Mountain Grand Hotel / Deadwood, S.D.
NOV 17 - Aberdeen Civic Arena / Aberdeen, S.D.
NOV 18 - Wild Rose Casino & Resort / Jefferson, Iowa
NOV 19 - Hartman Arena / Park City, Kan.
NOV 20 - The Mansion Theatre / Branson, Mo.
NOV 21 - The Mansion Theatre / Branson, Mo.
NOV 22 - Peoria Civic Center Theater / Peoria, Ill.
NOV 23 - The Vern Riffe Center For The Arts / Portsmouth, Ohio
NOV 24 - River City Casino / St. Louis, Mo.
NOV 30 - Memorial Hall / Independence, Kan.
DEC 01 - McCain Auditorium / Manhattan, Kan.
DEC 04 - UMBC Events Center / Baltimore, Md.
DEC 05 - Riviera Theatre / N. Tonawanda, N.Y.
DEC 06 - Palace Theatre / Greensburg, Pa.
DEC 07 - Roland E. Powell Convention Center / Ocean City, Md.
DEC 11 - Paramount Theater / Anderson, Ind.
DEC 14 - Honeywell Center / Wabash, Ind.
DEC 15 - Renfro Valley Entertainment Center / Renfro Valley, Ky.
DEC 18 - Mayo Civic Center Presentation / Rochester, Minn
DEC 19 - Five Flags Center / Dubuque, Iowa
DEC 20 - Shooting Star Casino Hotel / Mahnomen, Minn.
DEC 21 - Crystal Grand Music Theatre / Wisconsin Dells, Wis.
DEC 22 - Rialto Square Theatre / Joliet, Ill.

For entire tour schedule, please click here.